Ribbon Flower Embellished Napkin Pillow

Napkin pillows are very popular and easy to make. There are quite a few tutorials out in blogland showing you how to put two napkins together for a pillow.  I'm going one step further, showing you how to embellish a napkin pillow by making a dainty narrow ribbon flower.  If you can glue two ribbon ends together and sew straight seams or use iron on tape for a no-sew pillow, you can make this adorable decorative pillow.

And you only need a few items to put this together:

Narrow satin ribbon in your favorite colors

Felt

Fabri-Tac fabric glue

Scissors

Measuring tape
17" Cloth napkins
Sewing machine or iron-on tape if you don't sew
Fiberfill

To begin, let's make the ribbon flower first. Cut out a 1" circle of felt. Then cut fifteen strips of ribbon 12" long for the first petal layer.  Bring the ribbon strip ends together to form loops (petals) and secure with glue.

Add a dab of fabric glue to the ribbon strip edge and glue on the first layer of petals around the edge of the circle starting with the "clock positions" of 12, 3, 6, and 9 and then . . .

filling in between.

Glue on more petals between the first layer for a fuller look.

Continue adding layers of petals as you are decreasing the length of each  ribbon strip.

The number of petals and lengths of ribbon strips are decreasing about an inch for each layer as you are adding more petals and different colors to the center.

I didn't count the number of petals I glued on for each layer, but instead cut and glued on each strip separately, as I worked my way toward the center.

Once satisfied with the look and fullness .  .  .

it's time to make the pillow!  If you don't use a sewing machine, follow the package instructions for iron-on tape to seal the napkins together.  If using a sewing machine, take two napkins, matching up the edges, right sides together . . .

begin stitching the edges together, first going back and forth to seal the seams and continuing around three sides.  Since the edges are already finished I did not have a seam allowance. As you begin stitching the fourth side, leave a gap about six inches long to insert the poly-fill. Seal the last stitches back and forth so the seams won't come open. 

Turn the napkins right side out and stuff with fiberfill to form the pillow.  Hand stitch the opening close. Apply Fabri-Tac glue to the back of the felt circle and press the flower to the center of the pillow.

Have fun decorating with your embellished napkin pillows!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!

Easter Bunny Hair Bow Barrette

Looking for a cute hair bow to compliment your little girl's Easter outfit?  Hop on over to Bowdabrablog

where you'll find my easy to make tutorial!!!

Have fun, keep crafting

 and 

Happy Easter!!!

Easter Basket Table Favors Using Jute Twine and Plastic Canvas

"WOW" your guests this Easter holiday by creating unique Easter table favors using plastic canvas and jute twine!

Gather the following materials:

Plastic canvas sheet - 10 inch x 13.5 inch

Plastic canvas circle - 3 inch

Plastic canvas needle - size 16* 

Jute twine - not too thick

Mod podge/glue

Scissors

Embellishments

*I initially saw a YouTube video on this here.  I was fascinated, had never used plastic canvas before and wanted to make a basket using jute twine.  I soon discovered it wasn't as easy as it appeared.   So I made quite a few tweaks in making mine, discussed here and along the way.  First off, I wanted to show more of the purple canvas instead of covering it up so in making the handle, I left the edges plain and didn't whipstitch as stated.  Also, the instructions said for the body of the basket to measure and count 10 openings (width) and, for the center, share a row on each side to stitch the center. Since I wanted to show more of the purple canvas I opted to count 12 openings instead, having three rows of 4 openings to stitch in a herringbone pattern. 

Lets begin.

I thought it easier to cut all the plastic canvas and twine pieces first:
For the handle, starting on the bottom end, count 4 holes across and 48 holes up or down and cut out. I found using at least a foot or more longer lengths of twine given would be better since the measurements didn't quite cover the pieces.  There's plenty of twine so no need to skimp with this step.   So cut 6 feet of twine and dip one end into mod podge, wiping off excess and let dry. 

*Word of caution - the size 16 plastic canvas needle eye was too big and I couldn't get it through the canvas holes without a struggle or breaking the plastic so I opted to dip the ends of my twine in mod podge or glue, let harden, and just push the ends like a needle through the openings. This worked fine until it was time to end the stitches and I needed the needle to finish.

For the basket, count 12 holes across and 64 holes up or down and cut out. Next, cut out 9 feet of twine, dip one end into mod podge, wiping off excess and let dry.

Begin stitching the plastic canvas handle by skipping over the first row four holes on the bottom leaving blank and pushing the twine end through the third hole from the left, (second row) leaving an inch of twine on the back. No knots are used so a small tail is left on the back and the first few stitches will cover the tail to secure the twine so it won't come undone.

Bring the twine end back through the hole one row up (third row) and to the right, creating a diagonal stitch. See picture.

Then bring the end twine through the second left hole and up through the fourth row hole on the right.

Next, bring twine end through the canvas first hole on the left (second row) and through the fourth hole in the fifth row, creating another diagonal stitch.

Continue making side by side diagonal stitches, coming through the first hole on the left, over to the last hole on the right.

As you are stitching diagonally toward the opposite end, the twine tail on the back is being secured and covered.

Continue the diagonal stitching until reaching the next to the last row and repeat the shorter diagonal stitched rows just like the beginning starting rows.

To secure the twine, thread the end through the eye of the needle  and push the needle through several stitches on the back, pulling tight and cutting off the excess twine.

For the basket, divide the canvas into three sections of four holes, visually, and begin stitching the canvas the same way as the handle.

Start the middle section the opposite of the first, coming from the back of the second hole. The stitches will run diagonally opposite of the first section, for a herringbone effect.

Finish the middle section the same as the first.

Begin the last section the same as the first section, with the stitches going the opposite of the middle section.

Connect the two ends together by overlapping the first blank rows and stitching horizontal across.

Once the end is reached, thread needle and weave it under several stitches, pulling tight and cutting off excess.

To join the plain bottom 3" circle to the sides of the basket, make one stitch in each hole of the  bottom and the basket side using a whip stitch or overcast stitch along the edge all the way around. End by finishing the twine under several stitches and cutting off excess, as before.

Attach the handle to the top edge of the basket by centering the basket seam in the middle and placing the ends of the handle on equally on edge.  Begin whipstitching through the first row of the handle and basket edge, stitching around to the other end of the handle and to the beginning stitches. Finish twine in the same manner as before.

Imagine the possibilities using other materials like thin ribbon or decorative twine and threads like this.

What a cute way to make table favors. 

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!

Recycled Water Bottle Ribbon Flowers

This post first appeared on Bowdabrablog where I'm on the design team.

Recycle and turn those plastic water bottles into adorable ribbon pot flowers. 

Here's  how -  Gather the following materials:

Water bottles

Ribbon

Fabri-Tac glue

Scissors

Styrofoam balls

Skewer sticks

Clay pot

Floral foam

Dried moss

Bowdabra, wire, wand

Begin by cutting off the top portion of a water bottle just above the label at the rim.

Make six vertical cuts equally spaced and around toward the top.

Round off the ends creating "petal shapes."

Press the "petals" down, spreading them out to form a flower.  The petals can be shaped  in or out - your preference. 

Next, cut ribbon into 6 pieces the length of a petal.

Apply Fabri-Tac glue to the inside petal .  .  .

and press the right side of the ribbon onto the glued petal and smooth out.  The glue will magically disappear into the ribbon fabric, leaving a clear glossy effect from the plastic.  * I tried using mod pod but it dried with a white film on the plastic and the ribbon did not adhere and came off.

Repeat the previous steps for each petal .  .  .

and then, two more flowers.

Cut out separate leaf shapes from the water bottles the same way as the petals, applying ribbon in the same manner.

For the flower center, slice a 1" Styrofoam ball in half and cut a piece of ribbon to cover the round portion . . .

apply fabric glue over the round portion of the ball and smooth the ribbon on.

Place glue around the edge of the opening . . .

and insert the ribbon covered half ball.

Wrap two skewer sticks with green painters' tape and insert one into floral foam inside of a clay pot.

 Add glue to the top stick and press on the flower. Reinforce the flower and stick with more glue and cover with a cut-out ribbon circle.  Break the second stick in half, slightly bending the sticks. Glue one half onto the main stem as pictured and insert other into foam.  Glue on the two other flowers at the top of the sticks, reinforcing as before.  And finally, gluing the leaves on randomly.  

Make a Bowdabra bow tie by cutting an 18" piece of bow wire, fold in half and place in the Bowdabra, tucking the ends under. 

Pinch the ribbon together leaving about an inch on a twelve inch length of ribbon on one side, and place into the Bowdabra, pattern down.  Make a loop on the opposite side and fold completely over the tower into the Bowdabra . . .

to form a simple bow.

Scrunch down the ribbon with the Bowdabra wand.

While the bow is still in the Bowdabra, thread the two loose ends of the bow wire through the loop pulling tightly.  Gently pull the bow out the Bowdabra separating the ends and taking them around to the back of the bow and tying into a knot. Cut off excess.

To finish the bow, cut a small piece of ribbon about three inches long, and fold the sides over, meeting in the center. Place a dab of glue on the back of the bow and wrap one end around the bow, ending in the back, gluing down. 

Wrap a decorative ribbon around the edge of the clay pot, gluing in the center, and adding the Bowdabra Bow Tie on top!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!